Flowers and Jokers
Reminiscing about the perfect prank, my favorite lede ever, and media opps
Reentry back into the grind is always rough after a big trip, and this week was no exception. I returned on Sunday from an amazing weeklong river cruise with Uniworld with my brother as my plus one, and getting back into the swing of deadlines, pitching, and my overflowing inbox felt harder than usual. The horrible weather lately hasn’t helped, either. And I’ve just really, really missed my brother, even after spending more than a week with him.
I missed something else this week, too: April Fool’s Day, which came and went with little fanfare in our household. For the first time since I can remember, I didn’t try to pull one single prank, mostly because I was still exhausted from the trip. Even so, letting April 1 slip by without attempting any shenanigans is unacceptable for someone who comes from a long line of proud, talented pranksters. (Just ask my dad about the special deal for kids’ cones at Baskin Robbins.)
In the spirit of the day, I’ll share one of my own all-time favorites from a few years ago, during one of the rare occasions when my brother and I visited our parents with our families at the same time. I fashioned the little beast below out of the vacuum cleaner, a Halloween mask, and an old coat. I hid it behind the bathroom door and turned off the lights, waiting for my brother to find when he went to brush his teeth before going to bed.
I can still hear the sort of grunting gasp he made when opened the door (good thing he was already in the bathroom), as my sister-and-law and I fell on the floor laughing like hyenas. Good stuff, indeed.
Media Opps
For CNN Travel, I'm looking to speak to aviation/airline experts on the thorny issue of airline dress codes — and more specifically, insight into incidents that occur when passengers are denied boarding because of what they're wearing. Additionally, if you or someone you know has personal experience with this (i.e., worn something deemed "offensive" and/or been denied boarding), I'd love to hear from you. Send me an email — blanebachelor(at)gmail(dot)com — with subject line AIRLINE DRESS CODES by Monday, April 8, EOD.
Recently Published Clips
This story about the Icon of the Seas not only marks my debut in the NY Post, it also features what might be my most favorite lede ever.
And That’s a Wrap!
Be sure to tune in next week, when I’ll dig into the important topic of email subject lines, featuring a few I’ve received lately. I’ll do a quick play-by-play of which ones worked, which ones didn’t, and why.
See you soon (that is, if all this *&^% rain hasn’t washed me away by then)!
Ciao for now,
Blane